Why Do Coldwater Streams Matter?

A crossing of Sheridan Creek in Montmorency County, restored in summer 2024.

Step into Sheridan Creek on a hot summer afternoon and you’ll experience what makes it special.

The clear waters of this Northern Michigan stream tempt you to kick off your boots and wade in but your enthusiasm will be quickly extinguished when your feet go numb. Your frozen toes tingle as you scramble onto the riverbank—a bitter reminder that you’re a mammal and not a fish—and you should probably put your boots back on.

If you were a fish—say, a brook trout—you’d be right at home in Sheridan Creek, a spring-fed stream that stays cold year round as it winds between the forested hills of southwest Montmorency County. Coldwater habitats are essential for these native fish, particularly during dry summer months when downstream stretches of rivers tend to get too warm for trout. It’s in these headwater streams where brook trout also spawn, providing their eggs with thermally stable water until they hatch. Put simply, without cold water there are no trout.

Just as important for fish is the ability to move throughout their river ecosystem, and this is where Sheridan Creek was falling short. Three culverts at a road crossing were perched too high above the creek, preventing fish from moving upstream. These steel pipes also accelerated river flows during times of high water, causing issues with erosion and sending sediments into the stream channel where they bury important gravel beds.

The former culverts at Sheridan Creek and Scenic Route 3 were perched high, blocking fish passage and contributing to erosion.

Huron Pines removed those culverts this summer and replaced them with a bottomless arch (pictured at top), allowing the stream to flow unobstructed beneath the roadway. With the new structure in place, trout have gained access to 8 miles of upstream habitat for spawning and summer refuge, and the Thunder Bay River Watershed is now more whole.

These benefits extend to humans. Well-connected rivers are more resilient to change, reduce maintenance and emergency repairs for road commissions, and lead to cleaner water overall. The Thunder Bay River Watershed drains 1,250 square miles of land area into Lake Huron, the source of municipal drinking water for Alpena and other communities along its coast. Clean water supports human health, fisheries, recreation and tourism in Northern Michigan and across the Lake Huron basin.

Since 2020, Huron Pines has invested more than $2 million to reconnect the Thunder Bay River and its tributaries by installing timber bridges and bigger structures at six sites across the watershed. Another $1.3 million is on hand for two similar projects slated for 2025 and 2026.

A timber bridge at Carter Road over Gilchrist Creek, built in 2021.

Another restored crossing of Gilchrist Creek, a tributary of the Thunder Bay River, restored in 2021.

Huron Pines is also developing the Thunder Bay River Watershed Management Plan which will serve as a guiding document to prioritize and implement projects which support water quality. By completing our survey, you can help build a comprehensive management plan and shape a healthy future for the watershed.

The restoration of Sheridan Creek was supported by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Fisheries Division, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s National Fish Passage Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Walters Family Foundation, and in-kind labor and equipment by the Montmorency County Road Commission. MacArthur Construction was the contractor, with project design by Huron Engineering.